Rhonda Williams, Ed.D.

Rhonda Williams, Ed.D.

1420 Austin Bluffs ParkwayColorado Springs, CO 80918

Biographical Information

After spending 25 years as a public educator in teaching and as a school counselor, the next natural progression for Dr. Williams was to become a counselor educator. As a Professor in the Counseling and Human Services Department and the School Counseling Program Coordinator, Dr. Williams is committed to instilling in students, the American School Counselor Association National Model and the ethical standards of school counselors.

Rhonda Williams has had the opportunity to work in many types of schools and districts over many years. It is her pleasure and honor to teach others about the passion she has for the profession of counseling. Her heart lies in the school counseling profession as she has served over the years as President-Elect, President, and Past-President in both Colorado and Kansas School Counselor Associations. She is currently the Executive Director of the Colorado School Counselor Association. At the national level, Dr. Williams has served as ASCA Ethics chair, and Ethics Co-Chair for 7 years. Rhonda has been fortunate enough to receive the Colorado Middle School Counselor of the Year award, and the American School Counselor Association Middle School Counselor of the year and most recently the American School Counselor Association Counselor Educator of the Year. These honors have served to encourage her advocacy for the counseling profession. As an Associate Professor, Rhonda Williams continues her interest and research in school counseling, while also pursuing her interests in experiential education, bullying behavior, adolescent and gender issues, ethics and educational leadership collaboration. Much of her professional research and community service is focused on a program for adolescent girls called Smart-Girl, while she continues to present and consult nationally and internationally on the role of the school counselor. Currently, Dr. Williams is involved in several state and national initiatives. She serves as Executive Director of the Colorado School Counselor Association, Colorado Corp Grant Board Member, Colorado Counselor Preparation Advisory Team member. She has recently been invited to participate to be part of the White House's College Opportunity Agenda and the First Lady's Reach Higher Initiative. She continues her advocacy for the school counseling profession.

Areas of Interest

Bully Proofing

Ethical and Legal Issues of School Counseling

Educational Collaboration

Adventure Education

School Counseling

Education

Ed.D. Counseling Education
Kansas State University - 2003

M.A., Counseling and Guidance
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs - 1986

B.A., Physical Education
Kansas State University - 1975

Teaching

Roles and Functions of a School Counselor

Organization and Administration of School Counseling

School Counseling Practicum and Internship Supervision

Social and Cultural Issues for Counseling

Group Counseling Techniques

Adventure Education

Certifications

Colorado School Counselor Licensed
1986 - present

Kansas School Counselor Certified
1997 - 2001

National Certified Counselor
1991 - present

Licensed Professional Counselor-Colorado

Licensed Professional Counselor-Kansas

Professional Mediator-Kansas

Publications

Peer Reviewed Publications

Morgan, L. & Williams, R. L. (July, 2014). The Colorado High School College and Career Readiness Standards. Colorado Department of Education.

Williams, R. (2007, July/Aug,). Does evolution exist? American School Counselor, 44/6, 8-9. A history of where the American School Counselor Association has been and where we are today regarding ethical issues.

Williams, R. (2007 May/June).The ethics of substance-abuse issues: American School Counselor, 44/5, 8-9.
Navigating the difficult issues of substance abuse, when to disclose danger to parents and when to keep the confidentiality between the student and the school counselor.

Williams, R. (2007, Mar/April). Superhero or super stressed: American School Counselor, 44/4, 10-11.
Self care for the school counselor who tries to be all things to all people, including some of the ethical pitfalls that can occur when we are stressed out and overworked.

Williams, R (2007, Jan/Feb.). Raising red flags in data collection: American School Counselor 44/3, 10-11.
Ethical issues regarding collecting data, confidentiality of the data and how it will be used.

Williams, R. L. , DeBard, S., Jacobs, A., (2010). Reflections of the past, research of the present to focus on the future of boys and girls. Presentation at the annual Colorado School Counselor Association Conference, Vail, CO.

National and State

Williams, R. L., Notestine, C., Decker, P. (2016). Recipe for changing a school culture through the implementation of noncognitive factors. Presentation at the annual American School Counselor Association Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Williams, R. L. ,(2012). The ties that bind: The relationship between the ASCA national model & ethical standards. Presentation at the annual American School Counselor Association Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

Martinez, S., Wehrman, J., Williams, R. L.,(2011). Opportunities for Counselor and Leadership Educators: Pre-Service School Counselors' and Administrators' Perceptions of Professional Collaboration. Presentation at the annual American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.